Cleveland School was a rural South Carolina school
that was constructed circa 1908-1909.
The school was two stories and contained 3 classrooms. Prior to the fire, nearly 100 students were
enrolled at the school. The school was
located in Kershaw County, just a few miles east of Camden. The fire occurred
during the annual play that signified the end of the school year. This program was special as well since it was
the last one that would be conducted at the Cleveland School.
The school was set to be consolidated with
three others, moving to the Charlotte-Thompson School. That night nearly 300 people were estimated
to be present on the second floor assembly area when fire broke out. As the only exit, a single stairway became
jammed with people, many jumped from the windows to survive. 77 people lost their lives due to the
Cleveland School Fire. This fire
impacted local, state, and national codes regarding school safety. The Cleveland School Memorial Foundation,
Inc. is a South Carolina non-profit and was established on March 1, 1998.
